All posts by h716a5.icu

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has piled praise on a Gunners star who perhaps went unnoticed during their 3-1 win over Bayern Munich.

Arsenal end Bayern Munich unbeaten streak with 3-1 victory

Vincent Kompany’s Bundesliga champions went into Wednesday night’s Champions League clash off the back of a season-long unbeaten streak, winning all but one of their total games in all competitions.

It was Arsenal’s biggest test on paper, but Arteta’s side passed it with flying colours.

Arsenal delivered a commanding second-half performance to defeat Bayern at the Emirates Stadium, extending their perfect Champions League record to five wins from five matches and establishing themselves as genuine European contenders.

Arteta’s side opened the scoring through Jurrien Timber, who powered home a header from Bukayo Saka’s corner after 22 minutes. The Dutchman’s near-post run proved decisive as he guided his effort beyond Manuel Neuer, continuing Arsenal’s remarkable threat from set-pieces this season.

Arteta reveals what he told Calafiori right before Arsenal assist in Bayern win

The Spaniard gave a key instruction.

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Bayern responded ten minutes later when 17-year-old sensation Lennart Karl announced himself on the big stage with a composed finish. Joshua Kimmich’s accurate pass found ex-Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry, who cushioned the ball into Karl’s path and allowed the teenager to volley emphatically into the roof of the net — with the home side conceding their first goal in Europe this season.

However, the second period belonged entirely to the Gunners, who began to dominate.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Noni Madueke, introduced as a first-half substitute for Leandro Trossard, broke the deadlock with his first Arsenal goal after two months out with a knee injury. The winger’s clinical finish, feeding off fellow sub Riccardo Calafiori, restored the lead and shifted momentum decisively in the home side’s favour.

Gabriel Martinelli sealed the victory seven minutes later after capitalizing on a catastrophic error from Neuer, with the result sending Arsenal three points clear at the top of the Champions League table and sealing their first victory over Bayern in a decade.

Captain Martin Odegaard made his comeback from injury as a late substitute too, providing further encouragement ahead of Sunday’s crucial Premier League clash with second-placed Chelsea.Declan Rice was simply sensational against Bayern, with the midfielder dominating in midfield and causing Kompany’s men all sorts of problems.Arteta’s substitutions were inspired as well, but one man who delivered yet again was summer signing Cristhian Mosquera.

Mikel Arteta praises Cristhian Mosquera after Arsenal display in Bayern win

The young Spaniard came in to partner William Saliba in place of Piero Hincapie and the injured Gabriel Magalhaes, and despite being scarcely mentioned by critics, Mosquera impressed against Bayern.

Arteta, speaking in his post-match press conference, reserved special praise for the ex-Valencia star.

Those within Arsenal believe the 21-year-old could become one of world football’s best centre-backs in the next few years, and nothing we have seen has given us any reason to doubt that theory.Mosquera made his Premier League debut in Saliba’s stead against Liverpool at Anfield in August, barely setting a foot wrong despite being given a baptism of fire.The youngster does a quite simply brilliant job whenever called upon, and the initial £13 million that Arsenal paid Valencia for his services back in June is beginning to look like one of the bargains of 2025.

As the fourth evening drew to a close, the setting sun caused a glare off the sightscreen that made the ball difficult to pick out of Carse’s hand

Sidharth Monga22-Jul-2025

Brydon Carse picked up two key wickets on the fourth evening at Lord’s•AFP/Getty Images

It was twilight but the visibility was fine. There was no problem from the other end. It was the fourth evening of the Lord’s Test, and India were looking solid in their chase of 193. The partnership between KL Rahul and Karun Nair was going at a control percentage of 88.Then Nair padded up to a straight delivery, seemingly misjudging both line and length. Shubman Gill, who hardly ever plays a false shot and had 601 runs to his name already in the series, came out and began missing or misconnecting full-tosses and half-volleys. His feet hardly moved, and his reactions seemed off. In his nine-ball stay, he was in control of four balls and not in control of five.Test batters don’t bat the way Nair and Gill did that day. It turns out there was a byplay going on here – a struggle to sight the ball out of Brydon Carse’s hand. This phenomenon can be best described as: when you are seeing the ball well, you see a definite point of origin out of the hand, but in this final half-hour or so, the ball was coming out of somewhere in the general area of the bowler’s hand. It was because of a glare from the sightscreen just at that time, and just at that end, with the sun setting on the off side of the right-hand batter. Carse’s height of release made things trickier.Related

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Facing fast bowling is an extreme sport at the best of times. Carse’s average pace of 139kph in that spell converts to 42 yards per second, which means you have half-a-second to play the ball. The extra millisecond spent in picking the ball can be the difference between the normal, silken Gill and the uncertain Gill with cement feet and fumbling hands.England had likely picked on something. In that four-over spell that evening, Carse landed 62.5% of his balls fuller than a good length. Fast bowlers don’t usually do that unless it is reversing, and Carse began that spell with a ten-over-old ball. It was just that end, and just that height that was causing problems.In India’s first innings, Rahul had dug out a yorker from Carse in his last over of the second evening. Whether or not it was something that Ben Stokes and England filed away and worked on, England showed great situational awareness on the fourth evening to take two huge wickets with the new ball.In a way, this was quite similar to the over that Andrew Flintoff bowled to Jacques Kallis at Edgbaston in 2008, although not remotely as egregious. Back then, the dark windows above the sightscreen were an issue. The windows were at just the right place for Flintoff to be able to take advantage of, but not for Morne Morkel, who was too tall.Shubman Gill struggled to put bat on ball in the fourth innings•Getty ImagesAt Lord’s, there was no such obvious flaw. Everything is pristine at Lord’s. But the sight boards are a little thin, almost like a mesh. They are made of polycarbonate with contravision film, which allows vision through one side and makes it look opaque from the other. This had replaced the traditional wooden sightscreen, which had blocked the views of the members.That in itself is not a problem. It has never been a problem for batters except during that half-hour when the sun is just at the right angle to create a glare just behind Carse’s release point. Bowling full at such times is clever, because full balls give batters less time to react, and inflict maximum damage.Had it been a regular feature, the batters might have brought it up with the umpires. India’s reaction has been to shrug and move on. Not that Kallis was able to do anything about a much more obvious glitch 17 years ago. He didn’t seem to try to stop play while batting, and only pointed out the windows later. That didn’t have any impact, as Kallis ducked into a Flintoff full-toss that he didn’t pick.The period of glare at Lord’s didn’t last long enough for it to be noticed at the time. These are the challenges and quirks of playing Test cricket at different venues that nothing other than experience can prepare you for. It has been that kind of series for India, where they have found ways to fall behind despite playing better cricket for longer periods. A brief window of play when the ball would be difficult to pick out of the hand of a specific bowler from a specific end at a specific time was the least expected way for this to happen.

Reunited with RCB director Mo Bobat after making the switch from Trent Rockets

Matt Roller03-Oct-2025Andy Flower has been appointed men’s coach at London Spirit, reunited with director of cricket Mo Bobat after they took Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden IPL title earlier this year. Flower takes over from Justin Langer after his side finished seventh out of eight in his first – and only – season in charge.Bobat was appointed director of cricket earlier this year by Spirit’s new owners and opted not to renew Langer’s contract. He has instead convinced Flower to leave Trent Rockets after a five-year association – which featured a title-winning season in 2022 – on a multi-year contract ahead of the 2026 season.MCC and the ‘Tech Titans’, a consortium of high net-worth individuals including the chief executives of Google, YouTube, Microsoft and Adobe, took operational control of the Spirit earlier this week. They will run the franchise as a joint-venture, with MCC retaining a controlling 51% stake and four out of seven board seats.”I’m delighted that we’ve been able to secure Andy’s services as our men’s head coach,” Bobat said. “Andy and I have enjoyed a strong working relationship in the past, and I’m looking forward to building something special with him at London Spirit as we enter this new and exciting phase for the franchise.”Related

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Flower said he was “deeply grateful” to have spent the last five years at the Rockets and “hugely excited” to join the Spirit. “It’s a real privilege to be part of such an iconic venue and organisation. I’m also thrilled to be working once again with Mo, and for the first time with both MCC and the Tech Titans.”The Spirit were women’s champions in 2024 but have consistently underperformed in the men’s Hundred. They have won just 12 of their 38 completed matches, with five of those coming in 2022 when Eoin Morgan captained them to the knockout stages for the only time in their short history.Langer brought in Kane Williamson as captain this year and recruited David Warner alongside him at the top of the order, but they only won three out of eight matches to finish second-bottom.MCC have also appointed Donna-Maria Cullen to the Spirit’s board, after she stepped down from her role as an executive director at Tottenham Hotspur FC. Cullen joins Julian Metherell, Rob Lawson and Morgan as MCC’s representatives, with Nikesh Arora (Palo Alto Networks), Satyan Gajwani (Times Internet) and Egon Durban (Silver Lake) taking the Tech Titans’ board seats.The franchise have confirmed that they will play under the same name next year, but are planning a major brand refresh over the winter which could see them incorporate MCC’s egg-and-bacon colours into their kit – most likely as detailing, rather than the primary colour.Six of the eight deals in the Hundred’s new ownership structure were signed off in July, with Nottinghamshire (Cain/Ares) and Surrey (Reliance) expected to confirm their respective deals for Trent Rockets and Oval Invincibles next week ahead of a Hundred board meeting later this month.

Inter manager Christian Chivu refused to blame goalkeeper Yann Sommer following a disappointing derby defeat to AC Milan, instead praising his team's overall performance and spirit. The Romanian coach also strongly defended his decision to substitute captain Lautaro Martinez early in the second half of the 1-0 loss, insisting the call was tactical and within his rights as manager. Inter now sit fourth in Serie A after their fourth defeat of the season.

Chivu praises Inter spirit despite Milan defeat

Chivu's first Derby della Madonnina as Inter coach ended in a narrow defeat to city rivals AC Milan, courtesy of a Christian Pulisic goal in the 54th minute. Despite the disappointing result, Chivu expressed satisfaction with his team's effort and application. 

"The performance and focus were there, we didn't suffer any counterattacks," he said. "The only time we went for a long ball, Milan scored. But I'll take credit for the good performance from the lads who tried in every way. That's the spirit I want to see."

Inter dominated possession with 64% and managed 16 shots to Milan's eight, with five on target compared to Milan's three. They also won nine corners to Milan's one, highlighting their territorial advantage. However, wasteful finishing, including two shots hitting the woodwork and a missed penalty, ultimately cost them the points.

AdvertisementAFPChivu refuses to blame Sommer for Milan goal

Milan's goal came after Inter goalkeeper Sommer got low to stop a shot from Alexis Saelemaekers, knocking it into the path of Pulisic for an easy finish less than 10 minutes into the second half. Despite the spill, Chivu held off of criticising the shot stopper.

"I'm not talking about individuals, that's not fair. For me, my players are the best, and I could never point the finger at anyone because when you do that, it smells like failure," he said. "We're all in this situation: we could have unlocked it, done better, managed it, but the statistics are what they are. We just have the duty to get back up."

Why was Lautaro Martinez taken off?

A key talking point from the match was Chivu's decision to substitute captain Martinez in the 64th minute, just 10 minutes after Milan took the lead. The Argentine forward has been a pivotal player for Inter, and his early withdrawal drew questions.

Chivu, however, was defiant in his defence of the decision, emphasising it was a tactical choice and not due to injury or poor performance, saying: "Lautaro is fine, it was my decision. He's fine, I took him off for my own technical reasons: can't I change players? Even those on the bench deserve to contribute. It was my decision."

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Getty ImagesWhat next for Inter

The defeat leaves Inter in fourth place in Serie A with 24 points from 12 matches, three points behind league leaders Roma. Chivu acknowledged that the number of defeats is a concern for a club with title ambitions.

"It's clear that four defeats in 12 games is too many. The table is tight, we need to let go of disappointments and overcome frustration, which can leave its mark. I know how much we create and how much we concede," he added.

"Due to my team's characteristics, we attack with many men, and that exposes you to counterattacks. But today we only conceded one, which was fatal. We need to work, improve, better perceive danger, and earn a few more yellow cards."

Inter have now lost three of their last five Serie A matches, a run of form that will need to be addressed quickly to stay in contention for the Scudetto.

Following this derby defeat, Inter will look to bounce back in their next Serie A fixture against Pisa which comes right after their Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid. Chivu's side will need to translate their dominance in possession and chance creation into goals and wins to climb back up the standings. The manager will also be looking for a reaction from his players, particularly in terms of defensive solidity and finishing, to avoid further slip-ups.

The Phillies will be without their ace for the immediate future.

Philadelphia is putting starting pitcher Zack Wheeler on the injured list without a timetable for his return, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters Saturday afternoon via Jake Mintz of Yahoo! Sports. According to Dombrowski, Wheeler has an “upper extremity blood clot" and will undergo further testing once the team returns home after a Sunday morning road game against the Nationals.

Wheeler, 35, is currently leading Major League Baseball in strikeouts with 195 and the National League with a WHIP of 0.94. He is 10-5 in 2025 with a 2.71 ERA.

Among baseball's very best pitchers since his 2021 breakthrough, Wheeler made his third All-Star team in July. Thanks to the two-time NL Cy Young runner-up's success, the Phillies are currently 70-53 with a 5.5-game lead over the Mets in the NL Central race.

In his start Friday, Wheeler beat Washington 6–2 with five innings of two-run ball. He allowed four hits and two walks while striking out six.

Over the last couple of weeks, Tottenham Hotspur have massively struggled to deliver within the final third, which has resulted in numerous disappointing results.

Thomas Frank will no doubt have huge questions to answer in the near future, with the Derby Day defeat against Arsenal the latest failure in his tenure after taking the reins in the summer.

The Dane made a bold decision to switch to a 5-4-1 system at the Emirates to try and nullify the threat posed by Mikel Arteta’s side, but ultimately, it was ineffective as seen by the 4-1 scoreline.

Such a decision also restricted the Lilywhites massively within attacking areas, as Richarlison’s long-range effort was the only moment of note in the final third.

Numerous figures from the club’s recent Premier League outings highlight the struggles in attacking areas, with an immediate solution desperately needing to be found by the manager.

The stats behind Spurs’ recent struggles in attacking areas

As previously mentioned, Sunday was an afternoon to forget for all Spurs supporters, with the defeat arguably the worst of Frank’s tenure after his appointment in June.

The defensive setup massively nullified their own attacking threat, resulting in an embarrassing 0.07 xG produced, with only one shot on target registered, excluding the goal.

In total, the Lilywhites only managed to notch a total of three shots, whilst also registering just four touches in the Gunners’ 18-yard box during the 90-minute contest.

However, the club’s struggles have also been evident in other outings, with the defeat to Chelsea on home soil at the start of the month also showcasing their struggles in front of goal.

Frank’s men failed to find the back of the net in the London derby, again only notching one shot on target and amassing a total xG of just 0.10 in the loss.

No player in the squad was able to complete a cross against Enzo Maresca’s men, which no doubt would have contributed to the lack of quality within the final third.

The Spurs star who can solve Frank’s attacking woes

Spurs’ lack of quality in front of goal has undoubtedly produced a cause for concern, especially given the numbers produced under Ange Postecoglou last season.

The Lilywhites managed to score 64 goals in the Premier League during 2024/25, an average of 1.7 per 90, despite recording a measly 17th-placed finish in England’s top-flight.

Such a tally was the sixth best in the division, but Frank’s men have been unable to replicate such levels over the last couple of months of the new season.

His men have netted 20 goals in the 12 league outings to date, an average of 1.6, with Richarlison sitting as their top scorer on five goals – a quarter of the whole team’s tally.

However, the manager could find an immediate solution to the Lilywhites’ issues in attacking areas by unleashing Brennan Johnson over the next few weeks.

The Welsh international netted 18 goals across all competitions last campaign, but has often struggled for starts under the Dane after the investment from the hierarchy.

Mohammed Kudus arrived in a £55m transfer from West Ham United, which has seen the Ghanaian international often fill the void on the right-hand side of the attack.

However, Johnson is deserving of a recall to the starting eleven, with his numbers from last campaign showcasing the threat he carries within the final third.

His goalscoring tally from 2024/25 was by far and away the highest of any player in the first-team squad, with his underlying figures reflecting his all-round quality.

The 24-year-old achieved a total xG and xA per 90 of 0.51, the third highest in the squad, which further highlights his ability to star alone or find a teammate in dangerous areas.

Games played

51

2nd

Goals scored

18

1st

xG & xA per 90

0.51

3rd

Chances created

22

4th

Crosses per 90

1.4

2nd

Dribble success

56%

2nd

Shots per 90

2.2

3rd

Penalties won

2

1st

Johnson, who’s been labelled “impossible to defend” by one analyst, also ranked fourth in the first team for chances created – which could provide Richarlison with the ammunition to improve his own tallies.

Other tallies, such as 1.4 crosses completed per 90 and how dribble success of 56% both placed him in second position, with the winger having the all-round quality Frank’s men have hugely lacked.

There’s little denying that Johnson is a player who has divided opinion in North London, but his figures from last season highlight the quality he does possess with the ball at his feet.

If Frank is to find an immediate short-term solution to his side’s struggles, he may need to recall the Welshman back to his starting eleven against Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

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In both of his first two MLB seasons, Paul Skenes has posted a sub-2.00 ERA. This is a feat many pitchers dream of and Skenes has already accomplished this twice.

At 23 years old, Skenes is the youngest MLB pitcher since 1985, when 20-year-old Dwight Gooden posted a 1.53 ERA, to come in below 2.00. Skenes's achievement is something that shouldn't go unnoticed.

However, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year was critical of his ERA when speaking after Wednesday night's game. They do say you are your own biggest critic.

"I'm actually worse than I was last year," Skenes said, via ESPN. "It was 1.96 last year. I'm 1.97 this year. Just got to be better. No, it's cool. I don't come into the year with any numerical goals."

Skenes is the top contender for winning the NL Cy Young Award this season, and with the stats he put up this season, it's completely understandable why. Across 187.2 innings pitched in his sophomore season, Skenes threw 216 strikeouts (tied for third-most in the league) and notched a 0.95 WHIP. His ERA and WHIP from this season are numbers the Pirates haven't seen in over 100 years—his ERA is the second-best behind Wilbur Cooper's 1.87 in 1916 and his WHIP is the second-lowest in franchise history behind Babe Adams's 0.90 in 1919.

Captain suffers another in-match injury as batting collapses in his absence

Firdose Moonda07-Sep-2025Temba Bavuma has suffered a left calf strain in the field in the third ODI against England and will only bat if required. The severity of the injury is yet to be determined but the niggle may cause some alarm bells for South African cricket. There are five weeks until they begin their World Test Championship title defence in Pakistan.This is Bavuma’s second in-match injury this year, after he strained his hamstring early in his innings during the World Test Championship final in June. On that occasion, he continued batting and made 66 in a match-winning 147 run third-wicket partnership with Aiden Markram. However, he missed South Africa’s Tests in ZImbabwe in July as he recovered from the injury.”It is a little bit sore now. I will know properly when I get home,” Bavuma said, when asked about the seriousness of his injury.Bavuma returned to action in the ODI series against Australia last month, where he played two of the three matches as his workload was managed. That was due to continue in this series but Bavuma has started all three matches. He is not part of the T20 squad and will next be in action in the Tests in mid-October.The latest setback will also be a concern for Bavuma as he looks to build towards the 2027 home ODI World Cup, where he hopes to lead South Africa. Bavuma will be 37 at the time of the tournament and, given his history of injury, may not be fit enough to play through the event. Bavuma had a hamstring injury at the 2023 World Cup and again in Tests against India later that year. He also has a long-standing elbow injury and bats with heavy strapping.In his absence, South Africa collapsed to 72 all out and a record 342-run loss in the third ODI, with Wiaan Mulder – Bavuma’s replacement at No.3 – falling for a duck.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has done very well to navigate the club’s list of injury problems this campaign, particularly in attack.

Arsenal are currently sweating over the fitness of Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres as they prepare for the North London derby against Tottenham right after the international break.

Arteta, depending on developments, faces another potential selection headache in the final third, but makeshift number nine Mikel Merino has once again done well to fill the void left by Gyokeres since his injury against Burnley.

Most of the aforementioned stars are racing to be fit for their clash with Tottenham on November 23, with Havertz and Madueke believed to have impressed Arsenal rehab staff in their recoveries from knee problems.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atletico Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Unfortunately for Jesus, the derby comes too soon for him, despite returning to full training, and he’ll be the last Arsenal star to make his comeback after rupturing his ACL against Man United in January (Simon Collings).

Even without a large number of their attacking contingent, Arsenal have still marked themselves out as the team to beat — thanks largely to their imperious defence and set-piece dominance.

The Gunners have scored eight goals from corners in their opening 11 top flight games this season, the most ever recorded by any team at this stage of a Premier League campaign. Their 36 corner goals since the start of last season tops all of Europe too, with set-piece coach Nicolas Jover largely credited for Arsenal’s superb dead ball threat.

They also recorded eight consecutive clean sheets before the 2-2 draw with Sunderland last weekend, equalling a club record that had stood for 122 years since 1903, and they still boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues, having conceded just five in all competitions so far.

While Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba have taken a lot of the credit for being two of world football’s best centre-backs right now, you cannot underestimate the impact of Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori in the full-back areas.

Ray Parlour has described them as two of Arsenal’s players of the season so far, with Calafiori’s form even prompting reports that Myles Lewis-Skelly could leave in January due to a lack of game time.

The last thing Arteta needs is an injury concern for the Italian, but according to TUTTOmercatoWEB, that’s exactly what he’s got.

Riccardo Calafiori nursing hip injury as Arsenal learn recovery timeline

According to the Italian news outlet, Calafiori is managing a hip problem on international duty, raising concerns ahead of Tottenham.

The Italian national team are preparing for two critical World Cup 2026 qualifying matches against Moldova and Norway, but the versatile defender’s availability has been called into question.

During Italy’s training session under manager Gennaro Gattuso, Calafiori was spotted completing individual work away from the main group due to discomfort in his hip.

The 22-year-old is being carefully managed by the medical staff as they assess the severity of the issue and determine the best course of action, but there is optimism for Arsenal, as Arteta learns his expected recovery timeline.

Calafiori remains with the Italy squad rather than being sent home, suggesting the injury is not considered serious enough to warrant an immediate return to Arsenal. While the former Bologna star is expected to miss their clash with Moldova, Azzurri officials are targeting a return for Calafiori against Norway instead — allowing him time to recover.

Arsenal will be praying this doesn’t turn out to be more serious and he can in fact feature against Spurs, but all the signs appear good so far.

Arteta will be monitoring the situation closely, hoping Calafiori can avoid aggravating the injury during Italy’s fixtures. With the North London derby looming, Arsenal cannot afford to lose the key defender, particularly given the importance of maintaining their excellent defensive record that has underpinned their phenomenal start to the season.

Napoli are reportedly in talks to sign Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa, with discussions said to be "underway" between the Serie A champions and the player's agent. Despite Chiesa's positive start to the season with two goals and three assists, he has yet to start a Premier League game, prompting Italy boss Gennaro Gattuso to reportedly urge the winger to return to his native shores for consistent playing time.

Napoli opens talks for Federico Chiesa

Napoli are actively pursuing a deal to sign Liverpool attacker, with discussions reportedly initiated between the Italian club and the player's agent. The Serie A champions are keen to bolster their offensive unit and have identified Chiesa as a primary target for the upcoming January transfer window.

According to journalist Emanuele Cammaroto, writing for NapoliMagazine, "discussions are underway" regarding Chiesa's situation at Liverpool. The 28-year-old Italian international has seen limited playing time in the Premier League this season, failing to make a single start despite contributing two goals and one assist in eight league appearances, and two goals and three assists in 12 appearances across all competitions.

Napoli's proposed deal involves an initial loan with an option to buy in January, with a potential value of €13 million (£11m/$14m). While Liverpool are not entirely against Chiesa's departure, they are reportedly insisting on an obligation to buy clause in any loan agreement. Napoli's strategy is to first secure an agreement with the player before finalising terms with Liverpool.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportItaly manager Gennaro Gattuso urges Chiesa's Serie A return

A significant factor influencing Chiesa's potential move back to Italy is the direct intervention of Italy national team manager Gennaro Gattuso. It has been reported that Gattuso has "specifically asked Chiesa to return to Italy," indicating a desire for the winger to gain consistent playing time to maintain his sharpness for international duty.

Chiesa has had a complex relationship with the national team recently, having turned down call-ups for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Norway. He has not represented the Azzurri since Euro 2024, where Italy exited in the round of 16. Gattuso confirmed in September that it was a "shared decision" for Chiesa to focus on his club commitments, stating: "He didn’t feel ready to return; he wants to be 100%. We decided it together very calmly."

However, the current sentiment from Gattuso, urging a return to Serie A, suggests that the manager believes a move back to Italy would be beneficial for Chiesa's career at a "crossroads," particularly with the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon. This could play a key role in Chiesa's decision-making process.

Chiesa's limited Liverpool game time despite positive contributions

Despite his relatively strong start to the season in terms of goal contributions, Federico Chiesa has struggled to earn regular starts under manager Arne Slot at Liverpool. He has only accumulated 344 minutes of game time across 12 appearances, with Arne Slot showing little inclination to start him in the Premier League. This trend is consistent with last season, where Chiesa played only 466 minutes in the Premier League.

Chiesa's limited minutes come despite positive individual performances. He was even named Liverpool's Player of the Month in September, having scored twice and assisted three goals. He acknowledged the high competition at Liverpool, telling Daily Mail Sport: "If I don’t want competition, I go to another team. But I want the competition! I want to play here and think it helps me become a better player."

However, the reports suggest that this desire for competition is being overshadowed by a lack of consistent starting opportunities, which could impact his standing with the national team, especially with Gattuso's clear preference for his return to Italy.

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Napoli's transfer budget and other targets

Napoli's interest in Chiesa aligns with their broader strategy to reinforce the squad, with club owner Aurelio De Laurentiis reportedly ready to allocate a winter transfer budget of around €50 million (£44m/$58m) to back manager Antonio Conte. Conte is keen on adding more firepower to his attacking options, and Chiesa's versatility as a wide attacker who can operate on both wings or as a second striker makes him an attractive proposition for adopting different formations.

The Serie A champions have had Chiesa on their radar for a long time, indicating a sustained interest in the player. While the move would depend on Liverpool's stance, Napoli appear determined to secure his services.